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Friday, 12 May 2017

UN women Malawi police fight for rights of people with albinism

UN WOMEN, MALAWI POLICE FIGHT FOR RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH ALBINISM

Malawi Police Service (MPS) says
it has jacked up its efforts to completely stump out abuses and violation of
the Rights of people with albinism. The commitment was sounded Wednesday by
Commissioner of Police for the Northern Region,
Martha Suwedi when she received a donation of assorted items from United Nations Women (UN women), to be
distributed to people with Albinism and community policing forums, at a
ceremony held at Rufita Trading Centre, in the area of Chief Mwaulambia, in
Chitipa District.

She said her office was so
shocked, not long time ago, with the
escalating waves of attacks, killings and exhumation of the remains of people
with Albinism, a situation she said forced her office to spring to action in
rescue of targeted minority group.

Suwedi, however, said her region,
which registered 8 cases of attacks on people with Albinism, is again becoming
a safe haven for people with Albinism, attributing the conducive environment on
a number of strategies her office is implementing, in full collaboration with
stakeholders in combating the vice.

“As Police Service, we have lined
up a number of strategies in sniffing
and tracking criminals hatching
clandestine motives against people with Albinism which are spiced with
intensified awareness campaigns on the need to promote and protect the rights
of people with Albinism, right at family
and community levels, where at times discrimination originates from” said Suwedi.

The Northern Region has
officially registered 154 people with Albinism, on whom, seriously committed
woman , Suwedi has sworn and made a
strong vow never to lose one, at all cost, unless through natural causes and not through acts of chilling brutality and
immorality.

Suwedi, to a larger extent, also
attributed fast reduction of attacks on people with Albinism in the region on
commitment and coordination among members of the community, led by their
patriotic and passionate traditional leaders, Human Rights affiliated NGOS,
such as UN Women and well empowered members from community policing forums, who
she said work round the clock to alleviate the plight of people with Albinism.

The Regional Commissioner then thanked
UN Women in a special way for the donation, which she described as crucial and
timely.

She said UN Women was a true
partner to police in promoting the welfare of people with Albinism.

Suwedi added that much as her
office appreciates the noble duty discharged by community policing forums, it
fails to provide necessary equipment and tools and motivation to the forum
members for their smooth operation, due to limited resources.

“The donation is a big incentive
to members of community policing forums in their task to provide maximum
security to their brothers and sisters with Albinism.” Said Suwedi.

The Regional Police Boss then
asked NGOs and people of Good intention to pluck a leaf from UN Women’s gesture
in forwarding aid towards promotion of the welfare of people with Albinism.

An official from UN Women, Pamela
Mkwamba Matumbi said her organization will continue working with police and
other stakeholders in looking for lasting solutions to social challenges facing
people with Albinism in the country.

She said like any other
groupings, UN Women decided to take an active role in efforts to fight for the
rights of people with Albinism when it
was touched to learn that fellow
Malawians, due to their different skin, are
hunted down and killed on the misconception that their body parts can
make wealth inducing charms.

“We all shoulder a collective
role of squeezing sense into members of the communities that myths and beliefs
that Albino body parts are potential catalyst for wealth inducing charms are
false and they must be warned that anyone intending to cause harm on members of
this group will face the real weight of the Law,” said Mkwamba Matumbi.

She then commended the country’s
leadership for taking tough stand against
tendencies of perpetrating atrocities and violence on people with
Albinism and formulation of government national response plan which she said
provide a clear direction in rehabilitation of victims of violence and
implementation of strategies to curb further occurrences of attacks and
killings of people with Albinism.

“ Let me also thank our members
of Parliament who have complemented our campaign against abuse of right of
people with Albinism by passing
pieces of legislation which are potential to keep away those nursing
intention to attack Albinos,” said
Mkwamba Matumbi.

In his remarks, Chief Mwaulambia thanked
UN Women and Police for considering Chitipa District, and particularly, his
area for the special donation.

Mwaulambia assured both Police
and UN Women that he will put a keen eye on the donation to ensure that the
items are used for the purpose intended for, warning unspecified penalty for
any form of abuse.

Mwaulambia, who appreciated the
support from stakeholders in fighting abuse and violation of rights of people
with Albinism, he made a strong pledge that people with Albinism in his area
are as safe and secure like any other subject.

UN Women, with funding from DFID,
under a Human Right Window, in collaboration with the ministry of gender, children, disabilities and social
welfare, is building capacities of existing grass-root security structures in
schools and villages to ensure safety of
people with Albinism, especially pupils, in selected districts of Chitipa,
Kasungu, Machinga and Nsanje.

Since criminals launched attacks
on people with Albinism, Chitipa District, with a total number of 21 people
with Albinism, registered two cases, with 52 years old Lucia Kalinga, from
Senior Chief Kameme, losing her right arm in a gruesome night attack by unknown
thugs.